Mixing attachment for water faucets



1953 w. D. WILLIAMS ET AL MIXING ATTACHMENT FOR WATER FAUCETS Filed March 26, 1951 DE TE RGENT SUPP Y' [M-HI4-I ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 13, 1953 ATTACHME T 'FQR warnrmUoEtls 'William?D.iWilliams:and Harold'L: Binley;Toledo, :Ohio, .assignors, thy zmesne assignments,v to Multi- Meter;Corporation, a. corporation of Ohio annlication'Ma chiz 1....Seflal3No- 211,5

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'1 This invention relates to -an attachment for water faucets of thetypethat'permits-the--selective introduction of detergents into the stream issuing from the faucet.

The primary object of theinvention is to-provide a-simple and effective mechanism that can be easily attached to any existing faucet and which, When operated, introduces detergent into the water stream in one position and excludes detergent from the stream in another position, the parts being soar-ranged thatthe introduction of detergent requires a conscious movement on the part ;of .the operator.

Another object. of :the invention is to providea detergent .mixing. device :in-Whioh the parts are so arranged that they are notlikely totget-out --of order .and require adjustment and repair.

Still another object-of theinventionis to=provide a detergent mixin device in which .a vent opening to the detergent zlineis controlled-bye manually movable valve, which valve seats against a resilient seat so that .itis unlikely to leak over along periodof time andlafterta large number of cycles ,of operation.

Still another-objectof the' invention is .to providea simple;an ieffic entpbiasin zmean rori h detergent control -.valve.

;O t her objects and advantages :will :become apparentfrom the followingdescription of..a preferre -modification, ;refe11ence2being z-had tfli'th accompanying drawings in :which:

Fig. 1 is a.-si deielevational view of -.a mixing device embodying our, invention;

;Fig. 2 is -a bottom view thereof with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal-sectionalrview takenon line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. '4 is a fragmentary sectional-.viewfitaken on line 144 :of Fig. '2.

Referring to the drawings, :the .mixing :device of the present invention. is adaptedto beattached to a faucet indicated -in dotted lines in :Fig. 1 and -,to be connected to .a detergent supply through a tube It), the supply containeritself being not shown in the drawings. In practice the supply container may conveniently comprise a drum located at a point remote from.the faucet. It has been found that the drum neednot-even be on the same floor as the mixingdevice since the device is capable ofdrawin detergent from a drum at a level of 15 or feet belowtheunit.

The mixing device comprisesa body or housing l2 havinga floor plate ltwhichmaybe removed to :give .access 2 to the inner parts hereinafter described. At :its top :the housing surrounds a 2 coupling *IBof-any suitable form by which connection can'be made to an existingwater -faucet. In-the form shown the'coupling isthr ead ed and isprovided with a washer "Ij8WhiCh seats against the mouth -of the faucet to-prevent leakage.

' Thewasher *l 8 seats against the top of aflow body 20 which forms or carries substantially all of=the operative parts of-the mixing device comprising "the invention. The flow body comprises abody of non-corrodablematerial having a water passage and a detergent passage therein as -hereinafter described, and fixed to floor plate 14 against movement withinhousing l2.

The water passage through theibody 20 com-- memes w th a d w wardl d ec ed porti n 2.2 from the faucet whic dischar e into a somew a en r edhqrizqnta l d rec ed chambe .25. th .fQ iQ wal c which, istane e tote mi at n a h ehlv st i ted o ifi e .26 th ough th the water from the faucet must pass at greatly ncreased v o ity- .The .wate stre ex nd and reduc it .velccitvin a tape e ch mber 2 wh ch iqins a downwa d y di cted discharg passage 30. ,If desired, the ,flow characteristics m y bespmewhatimp o ed byta r n theoute end Wall of chamber 28 as-at,3 2 incrderthat the wate l mn ggin a ain t thi end wal wil h impart d thereto .acornpqnent o motio dow .wardlytowa dras a e.

f will be s e tha t e res ic o fic .26 and th passag .28 .of increasin d amete form a Vent i' u which ha an area o g ea e u educ i njimmed a e y ad ace t t .Qlific 26.

'The body 20 ,also includes a detergen .su n co u which o municate w th im l ub I 0, the conduit itselfincluding a detergent chamber -40 -as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. Thedatergent chamber 40 terminates in a restricted passage :42 which connects chamber ili with a vertical bore '44 ;from which a' lateral detergent ssa is f d whic em tie into th water passage2'8 closely adjacent the orificejz'fi. Since the detergent in passage lfi joins the water stream at that portion of the water passage which 'is at the lowest pressure .the Venturi action in-orifice '26 and passageifl tendsto draw detergent'from chamber ,40 through passage 42, the vertical bore M, and the lateral passage 46.

The vertical bore 44 is normally open atits topandforms apart of adetergent passageventing device. For thepurpose ofclosing hfivent fo m d h 1 o carries a. m whatresilien valve amfl r hpwirin JFie- .4- fiea -ma project somewhat above thelevel of the upper surface of body 28 and may conveniently be made of a short length of plastic tubing cemented or otherwise fixed in the vertical bore 44. The valve seat cooperates with a vent control valve 50 which latter, when in its seated position, closes the vertical bore 44 with an air-tight connection and thus permits the flow of detergent from chamber 40 through the several passages to the lateral passage 46 which empties into the water supply adjacent orifice 26. It will be apparent that when valve 50 is raised or opened the vertical bore 44 is vented to atmosphere and the bore 44 and lateral passage 48 will draw air around the under surface of valve 50 rather than detergent from chamber 40 and the detergent pp y.

It will be apparent that since valve 50 controls the fiow either of air or detergent to be mixed with the water stream it is only necessary forv the operator to control the position of this valve either to draw a mixture of detergent and water from the device or to exclude the detergent and draw only clear water from the discharge passage 30. The position of valve 50 may be conveniently controlled by a lever fulcrumed at 55 in the bight of a U-shaped member 5'! fixed to the upper surface of the body 20. The lever has one arm extending rearwardly as at 59 to connect to the head of valve 50 and has its other arm extending forwardly as at El to carry a relatively heavy head or button 63. The weight of button 53 being at the relatively long end of the lever biases valve 50 to the open position, overcoming the weight of the valve itself at the end of lever arm 59. The proportions of weight and lever arms are such that when gravity alone acts on the lever system the valve stands in the open position but when the atmospheric pressure is exerted on the outer face of the valve 50 while the inner face is subjected to the reduced pressure in the detergent system brought about by the fiow of water through orifice 26 and passage 28 the valve 50 will remain closed. Thus the vacuum on the under side of valve 50 or the air pressure on the top of valve 50 is sufficient to overcome the weight of the button or handle 63 at the end of lever arm 6 I. In operation, the user turns on the water supply and permits water to flow from the faucet in the normal manner, and, if no detergent is required in the water stream, can simply draw clear water from the discharge passage 30. However, if a mixture of detergent and water is desired button or handle 63% is moved upwardly to seat valve 50 against its resilient seat 48 closing the vent in the detergent line. The valve will remain in its seated position by reason of the pressure diiferential on its upper and lower surfaces. Detergent then flows from the supply passage it through supply chamber 40, vertical bore 44 and lateral passage 46 to join the water stream expanding in passage 28. The flow of detergent and water mixture will continue either until the operator manually opens valv 50 by depressing button 63 or until the flow of water is shut off. When the water flow is shut off there is no longer a pressure differential existing on the inner and outer faces of valve 50 and the weight of the button 63 is again sufficient to move the valve to open position. It is thus not possible for the operator to leave the device in such a condition that the water and detergent mixture will flow from the discharge passage 30 as soon as the water is turned on. Only clear water will issue from this passage until the oper- 4 ator makes a conscious effort to raise button 63 and cause the introduction of detergent.

Auxiliary devices may, of course, be incorporated and it has been found that an aerator unit designated 10 is of some assistance in causin the intimate mixture of detergent and water with some entrained air. With the aerator unit in place the mixed stream has the appearance of heavy cream as it issues from the dischar e passage.

While the invention has been disclosed in conjunction with a particular form and disposition of the parts it should be expressly understood that numerous modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It will be appreciated that, while the specification and claims of this application are specifically directed to the introduction of detergent materials into the water stream, the mixing device is equally useful for the introduction and mixing of other liquid materials such as disinfectant. The word detergent, then, should be broadly interpreted to include such other materials.

What we claim is:

1. In a mixing attachment for water faucets comprising a body having a water passage therethrough, a portion of said water passage forming a Venturi tube, and a detergent passage in said body communicating with said water passage adjacent the throat of said Venturi tube, the improvement comprising, an atmospheric vent in said detergent passage, and normally open valve means for closing said vent. said valve means including a valve seat surrounding said vent and a valve body closeable in said seat, said valve body having inner and outer faces respectively exposed to said passage and the atmosphere when said valve body is closed against said seat, said surfaces being proportioned and arranged so that said valve body is held closed by atmospheric pressure when water flow in said Venturi tube causes a pressure reduction in said detergent passage on the opposite side of said valve means.

2. In a mixing attachment for water faucets comprising a body having a water passage therethrough, a portion of said water passage forming a Venturi tube, and a detergent passage in said body communicating with said water passage adjacent the throat of said Venturi tube, the improvement comprising, an atmospheric vent in said detergent passage, a valve in position to close said vent, a lever fulcrumed adjacent said body, one end of said lever being attached to said valve, a weight at the opposite end of said lever, said weight biasing said valve to open position, said valve having upper and lower faces respectively exposed to the atmosphere and the interior of said passage when the valve is closed the area of said valve faces :being such that the pressure difference on the upper and lower faces of said valve when in closed position during operation is suflicient to overcome the biasing force of said weight.

3. In a mixing attachment for water faucets comprising a body having a water passage therethrough, a portion of said water passage forming a Venturi tube, and a detergent passage in said body communicating with said water passage adjacent the throat of said Venturi tube, the improvement comprising, an atmospheric vent in said detergent passage, a resilient valve seat surrounding said; vent, a valve in position to close said vent, said valve having inner and outer faces respectively exposed to the interiorof said detergent passage and the atmosphere when said valve is closed, a lever fulcrumed adjacent said body, one end of said lever being attached to said valve, a weight at the opposite end of said lever. said weight biasing said valve to open position, the area of said valve proportioned and arranged with respect to one another and the bias efiected by said weight and lever that the pressure difierence on the upper and lower faces of said valve when in closed position during operation is suflicient to overcome the biasing force of said weight.

WILLIAM D. WILLIAMS.

HAROLD L. BINLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Snyder Aii'r. 11, 1950 

